


Strawhat Herbarium

by printfogey



Category: One Piece
Genre: Ficlet Collection, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-07
Updated: 2013-12-28
Packaged: 2017-12-18 01:12:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 4,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/873995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/printfogey/pseuds/printfogey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Another collection of short pieces of gen focused on Strawhat characters. Less symmetrical than my former such collections, this one has some characters getting more fics than others because my ideas have gone that way. Now complete.</p><p>NOTE: Now contains a list at the top of Chapter 1 where you can see what character/which characters each ficlet is focused on.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Resonance

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Notes for the whole collection: I don't have much more to say here than what's already in the summary. As always, nitpicks and other constructive criticism are very welcome. Each chapter will have a brief summary.
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters and situations of One Piece were created and are owned by Eiichiro Oda. They are used here without permission for entertainment purposes only. This fic may not be used for profit in any way, and should not be reposted elsewhere without the writer's approval.
> 
> List of ficlets and characters:
> 
> Chapter 1, "Resonance": Zoro  
> Chapter 2, "The Gap between": Sanji  
> Chapter 3, "A Gift To Pay Forward": Chopper  
> Chapter 4, "Stowaway": Robin  
> Chapter 5, "The Meaning of Retreat": Luffy and Sanji  
> Chapter 6, "The Hero's Cape": Usopp  
> Chapter 7, "Appreciation": Usopp and Robin  
> Chapter 8, "*chirp chirp*": The whole crew  
> Chapter 9, "Can't Let Go": Zoro  
> Chapter 10, "Getting Down": Chopper  
> Chapter 11, "Too Kind": Sanji and Usopp  
> Chapter 12, "Entrusted": Franky, Nami, Zoro, Brook, and Luffy  
> Chapter 13, "Funeral Pyre": Robin and Going Merry
> 
>  
> 
> Author's Notes for "Resonance": A Zoro-centric drabble using the very prompt "Resonance" for the onepiece-300 comm, where I posted it under the title "Let's See What's Stronger". This goes off the scene where Zoro acquires Sandai Kitetsu, the "demon steel". Original rating: G. (And the original LJ cut text for it was the canon quote "If I lose, it just means I was never all that special to begin with".)

He'd made a reckless bet, had kept his arm and won the cursed blade, exulting in the serene chance of that moment as the sword spun in the air above him. What happens, happens. Had sensed the will in that steel speaking out to him, understanding him.

Wadō was his main strength and focus, always. But this blade spoke of chaos, wildness, pride... and exhilarating danger. No longer his own man, charged with protecting his captain and crewmates, Zoro needed that edge. He'd rein in its dark, destructive spirit, enjoying the sweet temptation of freedom, the satisfying strength of control.


	2. The Gap Between

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes it's not so much the memories that count, but the gap between them. A Sanji moment from the Drum Arc.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My first Sanji-centric ficlet from way back when. Rated G. Originally posted on my Livejournal.

Sometimes it wasn’t so much the incidents themselves that stuck in you head, the ones you’d been there for, to witness and see through. Sometimes it was the unknown moments between them.

In Sanji’s memory, the Drum Kingdom stood for intense cold, interminable snow; a terrible overarching gnawing worry about Nami-baby: it recalled clogged-down snow-battles against large rabbit-like carnivores where he couldn’t get a steady footing (in retrospect, he supposed he should have done the carrying and Luffy the fighting, at least for that stretch); there’d been an ever-mounting sense of hopelessness and desperate frustration: an avalanche came tumbling down, they’d been running futilely, and then a cliff in front of them had threatened Nami on Luffy’s back so he’d tried to shield them. Then a horribly sharp pain in his back; and then nothing.

He’d woken up in a sickbed and found out it was in the witch’s castle and that Nami-baby would be okay. Then most of the time after that had been hectic as well, what with chasing around a reindeer first for food and then recruitment; helping to fight a shitty bastard king and his oafish retainers; then his back gave out again and he was helpless to do anything but watch. Finally he’d slipped back into unconsciousness once the battle was over and didn’t wake up again until they all had gotten down from the mountain, on a sled apparently.

He never learned – never asked – exactly how Luffy had managed to carry both of them up the whole length of that mountain, all alone. (Although the two sets of tooth-marks he found on different places on his coat gave him perhaps a few inklings.) 

Before Wapol showed up and in-between bouts of reindeer-chasing, Sanji had found a spare moment to himself, alone outside the castle. The weather had been taking a break right then: no snowing, and no howling winds. You might, perhaps, sense an air of quiet watchfulness about the place. 

Then Sanji ambled slowly through the snow over to the mountain’s edge. He lit a cigarette and leaned forward, looking down at the island below him, at the tininess of the dark green treetops he saw from above.

He stood there in for a while in the bitter cold, exhaling thoughtfully.   
Then he turned and trudged back towards the wintry castle.


	3. A Gift To Pay Forward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, silence can be more harmful than words; and words may even be very necessary. Chopper-centric, some canon angst.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was written for the prompt "Language" at onepiece-300 on LJ.

Before the fruit, he could speak to his own kind, though he only heard harsh words. He could talk to ptarmigans and crows, to lapahns and hiking bears. From afar, he heard humans talk, and could guess their meaning.

The fruit made the herd drive him away for good. But now, he realised as he ventured near the humans, he could speak to them in their language, form words they would understand. 

They didn't listen. They screamed, threw stones, shot their guns at him. A talking monster was still a monster.

And then Doctor came, saw that he was bleeding, started to talk to him, yell at him: as if the monster was worth taking care of. Because Doctor always wanted to cure everyone.

He gave him a hat and a name, bandages and clothes, warmth and friendship. Doctor gave him everything. And eventually, Chopper dared to start talking again. Slowly he tried to get used to being talked to like a person; being listened to in return. He listened to Doctor's stories avidly, while Doctor's books teased him with hidden, awe-inspiring knowledge. 

 

*

Neither Doctor nor Doctorine ever told him he could be a bridge between humans and animals. Chopper discovered that on his own when he first came aboard the Going Merry, translating his new comrade Karoo's speech to his other comrades. It made him shiny and wobbly with even more unaccustomed happiness. He could be useful in this way, too.

 

*

Chopper is no good at making language that doesn't reflect his thought and feelings - lying will never be one of his strengths. And some things remain too deep and private to put into words. But he also knows that language is a gift to be cherished. Like two friends talking together by the fireside, while the snowstorm rages outside.


	4. Stowaway

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rated G, this is a snapshot of where Robin might have been at the end of the Alabasta arc, before her re-apparence in canon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was first written for the prompt "Afterwards" at onepiece-300, where it had only 300 words, but I have subsequently rewritten it and expanded it to 376 words.
> 
> Spoilers/setting: Set at the end of the Alabasta arc, looks forward to the start of the Jaya arc.

The rain had finally returned to the entire desert kingdom. The true enemy of the land, revealed at last, was defeated; and Alabasta could finally start healing and hoping again. Now, the losing side which had tried to take over the country were the ones hunted as fugitives, mainly by Marines though both the King's troops and the erstwhile rebels were happy to help when they could.

Still weak and wounded from Crocodile's stabbing, the former Miss Allsunday was sitting in the back of a cart going down to Sinapis, dressed in rags like one ex-rebel soldier among many.

It was all over, now.

And yet she was alive.

She didn't trust any of the Baroque Works agents to keep her hidden: she was far too valuable a prize for the Marines, far too tempting to sell out. True, she had talked to Bon Clay, making plans concerning a certain ship, but only because she'd had no choice. Bon Clay talked a good game about friendship, but Robin had heard pretty phrases before, and seen them proved lies many times before.

He was going ahead right now, but they were to meet up outside Sinapis later, from where she'd help him sail the Strawhats' ship up the river. After that, she would stay out of sight on the ship for as long as she could.

Monkey D. Luffy might turn her away, but she doubted it. After all, she'd saved him twice now, with water and antidote. He'd remember.

Robin had been ready to die. All those years of scrabbling to survive, to run away, to make plans, they'd all seem to come to nothingness in that ancient tomb, as great blocks of stone were falling down all around them. But Luffy had refused to let her. So. He simply had to take the consequences for that.

Still… that look on his face in that moment, saying he didn't care what she wanted, he'd save her anyway… It unnerved her. _Dangerous..._

No. She'd be all right. She'd keep herself safely apart, like always, so it wouldn't hurt when she'd be forced to leave. She wouldn't drop her guard, no matter how young and naïve that crew was.

It was only for the time being, after all.


	5. The Meaning Of Retreat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luffy _does_ know the meaning of "retreat" and "surrender". Rated G, featuring Luffy and Sanji.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part of a meme writing short snippets inspired by icons by request, this came from a picture of a puzzled Luffy. No specific setting in time, but informed by the Sabaody arc (and the Baratie arc) in particular.

"Don't you try to be cute with me," said the big guy with the walrus moustache who sat in the barstool next to Luffy. "I'm not just anybody, you know! They call me Big Ory, an' I'm part of Captain Bern's pirate crew, you know! And he's pretty much the most fearsome guy around!" Sanji, sitting on Luffy's other side, only raised an eyebrow and grinned quietly. The walrus-moustache went on, "You don't want Captain Bern mad at you! That guy doesn't even know the meaning of 'retreat' or 'surrender'!"

"Huh?" said Luffy, tilting his head and giving Big Ory a blank look. "Is he an idiot?"

Big Ory grew red with fury. "What the hell do you… what do you think you're…" he sputtered, grabbing Luffy by the vest and glaring at him.

"Well if he doesn't know those words he sounds like an idiot!" Luffy said. He pushed Big Ory away lightly. "To surrender means you give up and stop fighting. Retreating means you turn back and hide or run away, you stop attacking," he explained in a slow tone.

Big Ory opened and closed his mouth several times, while Sanji sniggered into his beer. "I didn't mean that he - I just meant that - point is," he rallied, glaring at Luffy, "that the Captain doesn't need to know those things because he's not going to do either."

"Oh," said Luffy, in a tone that was suddenly quiet. He drank from his glass, very slowly. "So that's how you think." 

"Damn right I do!" snarled Big Ory. "And that's why..."

"So if someone was threatening to blow the head off someone important to him, then he wouldn't stop fighting?" Luffy sat down his glass on the bar, very softly. He didn't look at Sanji, but held his head low. Sanji swallowed at an old, sharp memory. "If he heard all the ones he cared for would get blown to dust by a whole fleet if he didn't give up, he wouldn't care at all?" Luffy drew with one finger slowly over the surface of the glass. "And if he and the whole rest of you were way in over your heads in a fight you had no way of winning, he'd just press on, not try to run to make everyone survive?" He lifted his head and looked at Big Ory again. 

"Then he's wrong," he said simply. "Sometimes you have to give up and run away so you can fight again some other time. When you're stronger. Long as you're still alive, you can go back and win later."


	6. The Hero's Cape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Usopp and the colour red. Set near the end of manga volume 38. Rated G.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First written for onepiece-300 for the prompt "Red".

It had lain forgotten on the floor of the Sea Train, next to a colourful mask. He'd seen them both earlier, taking note of them: typical Water 7 masquerade items. Now he dove back into the car to grab the items quickly, before going up to the rainy roof again.

It could have been any colour and he'd still taken it: he was in no position to pick and choose. But it felt right that the cape was deep red, the colour of wine. In his mind, red was the strongest colour, one that spoke of great deeds and bravery and pride; of fighting strength and hope defiant. Just the thing for a made-up man in a cape and a mask who was ready to take on the World Government itself by the Strawhats' side, as a normal weak person couldn't hope to do. Red was the colour for heroes.

Luffy's vest was bright red.

Well. That was the real deal, of course. This was just the fake. Yet he knew he had no choice but to believe in the fake with all the power he was able to summon; to make this lie into an impossible truth. Or else something in him that was already tattered and torn would unravel to the very last thread. And there wouldn't be much point after that.


	7. Appreciation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin uses her skills to help. Usopp + Robin, perhaps with a very faint touch of shippiness. Set anytime after Enies Lobby but is probably pre-timeskip. Rated G.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slightly longer version of a ficlet originally written for onepiece-300 for the prompt "Skills".

When Usopp had started moaning in despair from his workbench up on deck, wailing about missing his favourite wrench - the extra-flexible one he’d fought the evil, fire-breathing, two-headed Carpenter Monster of East Blue for (or swapped from Tyleston of the Galley-La for a smell dial, depending on what version you preferred) - how it wasn’t to be found anywhere and _could he actually_ have been stupid enough to leave it outside when the last storm hit, Robin had looked up from her flowerbed and closed her eyes. 

She opened sixty other eyes, all over the ship, and after one minute she spotted a small instrument looking forlorn in a corner of the engine room, told Usopp he could go look there, then went back to watering the flowers.

When she heard running feet in heavy shoes tumble back up the steps, she wasn’t surprised to hear his shout of joy and relief, nor the ecstatic cry “Robin! You make the best spy ever!”, though it still made her chuckle. She wouldn’t have been too surprised over a hug, either, though Usopp, unlike Nami and Chopper, was rarely that free with her.

What she didn’t expect was him leaning up on tiptoes and kissing her on the cheek.

She blinked, nonplussed for once, and he quickly broke off and jumped back. “Ah, s-sorry about that! It was just –“ he waved his hands, blushing, “I was just so happy and you looked so pretty – I dunno what came over me, maybe I’ve got Sanji germs today or something - don’t hit me!”

Then, after seeing she wasn't angry, he scooted back to his work, back to taking scraps and make something new and unique, with clever hands and busy brain; knowing he was good at it but not, Robin suspected, believing it amounted to much. And quite unaware of how unusual and precious his talents were. Including the talent to reach out and surprise her.


	8. *chirp chirp*

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a silly little fill for the prompt "*crickets chirp*" at onepiece-300, a few words added here. Rated G.

Up in the crow's nest, the sleeping Zoro's dreams took a more quiet and summery turn. He found himself walking past placid rice paddles and wide yellow wheat fields, a lazy summer breeze rippling by. Hot and quiet, except for that one sound. In the distance, a falcon flew high.

Franky perked his ears from inside the figurehead, where he worked on improving the Gaon Cannon. "Wow, that takes me back," he murmured to himself. "Hey, wait, aren't we still far from land?"

"Ehh?" exclaimed Chopper, who was mixing medicine close by near the helm. "What's that sound? Is something wrong?!"

"Hey, Franky!" shouted Nami, who was tanning in a sun-chair on deck. "Just get yourself oiled up already, those squeaks from your body are getting annoying!"

Robin looked up at the sound and smiled.

"How splendid! This makes the perfect backdrop for a summer song!" declared Brook happily, went and got a banjolele and started to strum it.

Sanji popped out from the kitchen. "Luffy, Usopp, if any of you brought any damn crickets on board…"

"We didn't!" protested Usopp. "Look, they're right there, in the water!"

"But that's a great idea!" said Luffy. "I'll go get my net so we can capture one!"

"The hell you will… wait, what? In the water?" Sanji reached the railing where Luffy and Usopp were sitting and looked down at the sea, Chopper coming up beside him. His eyes bugged out. A strong current was pushing a tangle of seeweed and kelp so that it kept pace with Thousand Sunny - and on it, a whole colony of insects as big as Sanji's lower arms were sitting, vigorously rubbing their wings together.

Sanji swallowed and took a swaying step back.

"They are Sea Crickets," Robin explained. "Hardy little beasts, aren't they? They only occur on the Grand Line. But they can float, and even survive storms."

"AAWESOME!" exclaimed Luffy, starry-eyed as he waved his net.

_"Luffy..."_

The sound of crickets continued until the next island, where Nami sneakily set the bugs free again.


	9. Can't Let Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some people make their peace with the past. Others prefer not to. Zoro-centric, rated G.  
> Set right after the end of Thriller Bark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First written for the prompt "Fear" at onepiece-300. Though I like it, I have to admit that this look at Zoro is no longer supported by canon at this point - if it ever was in the first place.

He’s seen an orange-haired girl in a strawhat nod and sniffle “Sure” in response to her captain’s declaration; then later watched as she jumped aboard, loaded with wallets. 

He’s seen pink snow gently float down like cherry blossom petals over a wintry kingdom, and has felt the touch of rain coming to the desert kingdom at last.

He’s come to know at least a small part of the darkness that Robin has carried around, and has seen her finally defy it to cry out her will to live. 

He’s watched Merry burned down with all of them, standing right next to Usopp for whom the ship was his link back home.

He’s seen Franky cry his goodbyes to an entire town as his old friend sets him straight and he’s able to forgive himself his past.

And yesterday he was sitting by Brook’s side in Thriller Bark in front of a newly-dug grave, his body aching and his mind at peace, saying a silent goodbye to Yubashiri as Brook does the same with his old crew. 

 

Those are great, good things. For them.

 

But he remembers when he last saw that Marine woman, when she pushed her glasses back and challenged him again. He recalls bright young eyes, glittering of supreme skill and darkening in yearning envy… the goddamn bitter unfairness of it all, as he made the only possible choice he could, grabbing hold of his promise and never letting go.

The thought that somehow he might fail her, might betray her by losing his hold on her before reaching their dream, is intolerable. And deeply frightening.

So he knows the next time he sees that Marine woman, Tashigi, he’ll probably still prefer to bolt rather than face her. Because that's the one fear he’s afraid to master.


	10. Getting Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short Chopper-centric piece set manga chapter 302 or whatever the equivalent anime episode is (end of Skypiea arc). Rated G.

The great octopus ballooned above them, having just miraculously turned Merry’s heart-stopping free-fall into a stately downward saunter. And in the very next moment, chimes rang out in the air from above: the unique, indescribably beautiful sound of Shandria’s great bell. Perhaps the Skypieans weren’t that upset about the loss of all that gold after all.

Chopper craned his neck to gaze back up at Cloud’s End and the White-White Sea. He felt so full with memories and emotions, all jumbled up inside him: the enticing dream of getting to a sky island; the thrill of the Knock-Up Stream; the wonder of arriving and exploring; the creeping fears of Upper Yard; the explosions of helpless, paralyzing terror; and then, that moment when he’d faced one of Ener’s priests all by himself, had decided to fight for real and had won. The next opponent had proved too strong for him, but he had still survived, and so had all of his crewmates. Then, waking up just as the great battle ended, he had treated more people and worked harder than ever before – better, too, he thought. If Doctorine could have seen him then, she would probably have offered lot of critical comments on his work, but on the whole he still thought she would have been proud of him.

And Doctor – if Doctor could have seen him now, as he stood here beside his brave, strong, laughing, lawless crewmates, as their ship floated down from their skybound adventure as gently as if carried by the power of dreams – yes, he was sure Doctor would have been proud of him.

They were getting down safely but they weren’t getting down to safety. Down there, they would doubtless find new adventures waiting for them, and that would mean fun explorations and wondrous new sights and happy campfire dances. But it would also mean new terrors, new moments of looking death in the eye; new battles they could not afford to lose. Because they were pirates. They had to risk everything. Chopper had known that a long time, but perhaps he hadn’t truly understood it until now.

But whatever happens from now on, he thought, looking around him once again, I will remember this forever. The song of the great bell; the gentle creaking of the ship; the calls of the southbirds, telling them ‘good-bye and see you later’; the patches of dark blue visible between the white clouds underneath them; the shine in his crewmates’ eyes, even brighter than the gleam of their beautiful treasure. And though the bell chimes still filled the air, you could just about make out the faint murmur of the waves far below, slowly growing in strength as the Blue Sea pulled them all closer.


	11. Too Kind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sanji just wants to make everything better, but he holds himself back: sometimes being stronger makes you more helpless. Sanji + Usopp or maybe lightly Sanji/Usopp, rated G.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally written for the comm onepieceyaoi100 on Livejournal for the prompt "Restrained Sanji", this ficlet was later expanded upon in this version. Set post-Thriller Bark and pre-Sabaody. 
> 
> (This was written and posted quite some time before I knew I'd get somewhere with the idea that eventually became the longer fic "Opening the Box", but has some of the same issues. In the latter fic, Sanji *didn't* restrain himself, but I had to work on the dialogue quite a bit to allow for that given how I tend to interpret the dynamic between him and Usopp.)

Sometimes Usopp will run out of words as he’s sitting in Sunny’s galley, doing chores or just hanging out. There’ll be a trickle of talk and then silence and when Sanji glances behind him there’s an empty look or uselessly moving fingers or a crouch in Usopp’s figure that makes Sanji’s stomach turns cold or his throat lumpy. And then he may wonder again what exactly ‘already negative’ means, anyway.

Then Sanji turns back to his work and it happens that there’s something restless moving inside him, something angry and fearful, rising like a wave, pushing at him to go over to his crewmate, grab him and say the right words, the needed words. To haul him back in from threatening waves, to hold him close and stave off hurt and make the worry – Sanji’s worry, that is - go away forever.

But he knows. _I can’t reach him this way._ At times Sanji might meet Usopp’s eyes and see an evasive, fearful look – but there’ll also be a touch of annoyance and maybe disapproval, warning Sanji off. _He’ll think it’s just concern_. Sanji has let the mask slip too many times, he fears, letting protectiveness through but not, perhaps, enough of his own need. Making it seem like it’s only about the stronger crewmate worried about the weaker.

Why does it feel this way now? They used to just know where they had each other, Usopp and him. Sanji had been prepared for things feeling different after Usopp finally rejoined the crew when they left Water 7, but he found himself falling back to his old ease with the sniper practically immediately. And it seemed to be so for Usopp too, at least with Sanji. 

Maybe it’s because of Zoro’s sacrifice, the one that only Sanji and Brook know about, and cannot tell the others - maybe that’s shaking other things loose as well. Or maybe it’s got something to do with Perona and her ghosts. 

_I don’t want to stand in the way of you getting stronger_. He lights his cigarette with forced calm and stays put right where he is, saying nothing; knowing he can’t cross this line unless he’s invited across it. And that might not happen. 

He knows this, but that doesn’t make it easier: there’s an urge in him that doesn’t care about respecting boundaries and letting someone gain inner strength, that just wants to rescue and protect. A dangerous wave, one that looks like kindness but could, perhaps, lead to destruction.

He watches himself and doesn’t take those few steps. And the moment, eventually, passes.


	12. Entrusted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Very short G-rated piece that features Franky, Nami, Zoro, Brook, and Luffy. It's about treasures.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was written for the prompt "Mine" in a chaos thread hosted by Naye. My only time using 2nd person, I think - though it should be noted it's not to denote one specific person only but all the characters in the summary (save Luffy). Spoilers up through Brook's backstory towards the end of Thriller Bark, none beyond that.

Sometimes the objects that matter the most are not the ones that truly belong to us. For example, maybe you've always dreamed of building a great ship capable of travelling all around the world, but when the chance finally comes you can only allow yourself to go through with it by building it for somebody else. The ship belongs to all the crew and to the captain the most, not to its builder.

Or you need a log pose to do your job, and having a treasure around is always a good idea - but those things belong to the whole crew as well, not really to you. You are only the caretaker.

Or you carry a sword that belonged to someone else and you still think of as only half your own. You can wield it but only on the condition you will never forget what it means. There are two other swords that truly do belong to you, earned through your own merits, but they don't matter even half as much.

Or there's a song that was sung by men long dead that you keep stored in an amazing device, hidden in your skull. It will be taken out and listened to again on the day your promise is finally fulfilled. You carry it in their name. It isn't yours.

And the battered strawhat resting on your captain's head will be returned one day to the man who gave it to him for safekeeping. It's the sign of a very important promise; it's what the world names him and his crew for: but it doesn't fully belong to him. You do, though.


	13. Funeral Pyre

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ice and fire and Nico Robin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt "Fire" on onepiece-300. Set at chapter 430 (Going Merry's funeral). Rated G.

_She held on just long enough for the Galley-La to reach us_ , thought Robin, looking back at the broken ship from the raft they'd been loaned; watching as her captain lowered a torch to set the hull on fire.

Inside her mind she saw other flames, from Ohara so long ago when fire, explosions and ice had eradicated her home island and everyone she had ever known. Until the sea was frozen with the one small opening left for her to escape on by the whim of a single Marine.

You had to protect yourself from burning down. And she had been cold, frozen inside, ever since.

Then another image filled her head, the one with the World Government's flag, burning. 

Robin wasn't crying now, even as the masts broke and the timber crackled loudly, as smoke filled the air like memories. There was no need. She had cried enough last night, so many tears falling unstoppable as she had felt herself thawing, finally daring to have faith in others, to allow herself the will to live. To feel she had the right to exist and be a person.

 _I will never forget that again,_ , she thought, standing with the others as their friend and home burnt down, hearing the spirit of the ship talk to her. To forget would mean she'd be dishonouring Merry's sacrifice as much as the struggles of her living crewmates who had fought and bled for her sake.

And as the voice stopped talking in her mind and the remains of the ship slowly turned to ashes and charred timber, she felt old shadows leave her at the same time - not forgotten but finally allowed to go, as if guided by the spirit of Going Merry down into the waiting waves.


End file.
